1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a door lock device for an automotive vehicle and more specifically to a back door lock device suitably mounted on a back door for an automotive vehicle.
2. Description of the Prior Art
An example of prior-art back door lock device for an automotive vehicle is disclosed in Japanese Published Unexamined Utility Model Appl. No. 57-137280, for instance. In this lock device, the housing is formed by joining a flat front base to a box-shaped rear base in such a way that the front base is fixed to the bottom wall of the rear base by a latch axle for pivotably supporting the latch, and further the striker guide opening is formed in the rear base.
In the prior-art door lock device as described above, since the rear base is formed open due to the presence of a striker guide opening, the rear base is weak in rigidity and therefore subjected to deformation in case shock is applied thereto.
That is, there exist problems such that the striker guide opening is widened open; the rear base and the front base are bent inwardly or outwardly; and the latch supported by the base is released and therefore the striker is removed from the lock device in case a strong shock is applied to the lock device due to an accident, for instance.
On the other hand, Japanese Published Unexamined Utility Model Appl. No. 59-51959 discloses another example of door lock device for an automotive vehicle. In this lock device, a latch mechanism is disposed separately from an actuator mechanism connected to an actuator or operation levers to release latch or to lock or unlock the latch.
This is because where the lock device is attached to a back door, the lock device is usually disposed at the free end of a back door within a small space and therefore the lock device should be small in size.
In the prior-art door lock device as described above, however, since the latch mechanism and the actuator mechanism are assembled separately, both the mechanisms should be connected by link members, thus resulting in other problems such that the adjustment is complicated, the assembling workability is lowered, and therefore the cost thereof is high.